Debra~ Sounds like a nice training run along the river path before speed work. Just a suggestion if you have a smart phone and don't want to bother looking at your Garmin to track your pace: Some apps (I use MayMy Run) have a feature that will speak your progress (distance, pace, minutes) out loud as you run at intervals you can select. I wear my Samsung Galaxy S3 on my arm and will occassionaly use this feature. Sometimes though, I don't want to hear it so I shut that feature down.

I'll be doing an 8-mile run tomorrow moning as I'm training for the Resolution 15k on January 6th. After that, it will be the San Diego HM in March.

Rich, you are so ready! 8 mi to 9 mi. is a piece of cake. Literally. Add two more and you can eat the icing.

Debra, sounds like a great run! I know what you're talking about trying not to check the Garmin. I can guage whether I'm having a rough day by the number of times I check my pace/mileage/time in a given mile. That's when my yoga breathing or some other self talk comes in handy. I call on it and it sometimes works.

Am now at least two pounds heavier and new scale says it's not water weight. Office holday party was a nature preserve. Tried a trail run toward the end and it was a slog, despite warmish weather and lots of rest. 2 miles. Seriously! Today is rainy and warm Was going to the gym but really want to try running outside. Am so afraid of how hard I'm going to have to work to get back to where I was. DD is coming for the holiday. Exciting to plan but have tons of work to do. Am worried won't have time for things I want to do. Cable shut off bc I "forgot" to pay the bill. Plenty of money, not highest of priorities. Thinking of letting it go until the end of the year. What's a holiday without a mental snap? Juuust kidding. Adding to the pressure, I sorta volunteered to work with a local running store on developing a run/walk program and somehow that has turned into starting a C25k program in January. In Four Weeks. With no descernable plan. I HATE the preformance anxiety of Christmas!! Bad time to stop running!

Slow stuff on TM during the week, but Friday and today decent enough to go outside. First official snow in our part of Wisconsin so I drove to town to run on the riverwalk. Felt like I was working harder than I should have to for the time I got for 3.1 miles. O Well, it was slushy in places. Very beautiful with the snow coming down as I ran along the river.

Ran 8 miles at the indoor track that surrounds the speed-skating oval. Lots of company on the 2 lane run/walk track, and fun to watch the junior speed skating heats on the ice. It's great to have the 400+ meter track to run indoors when the weather is bad. I'll run outdoors in most conditions, but 33 degrees and rain/sleet isn't one of them. Not fond of running with wet, freezing feet for over an hour! Heading out for a 5 mile walk today.

Dan~Sounds like a nice run along the river in the snow. Bet it was beautiful! Too warm here yesterday, just rain/sleet. I know what you mean about a 3 mile run being harder than I think it should be sometimes!

az2mn~Awesome mileage for you this week! Congrats on your 10 yr. anniversary, and impending birth of second grandbaby -- Lots to celebrate!

Mary Kay~Totally get the volunteer thing -- I'm just a girl who can't say no to volunteering!

Rich~Thanks for the app suggestion, time for a phone upgrade for me. Mine is, ehh..."vintage". Hope your 8 miler was great!

I have a slight groin muscle strain, so I'm skipping today's 3-mile maintainance run. Hate when that sort of thing happens! I know resting an extra day or so is the right thing to do, but just don't like missing a training session whether it be a run or a strength workout in the gym. WIll pick up on Thursday with a 3-miler plus speed work, then will shoot for 9 miles on Saturday.

hope you're back to running shape this week. I, too, feel disappointed and depressed when I have to rest to let an injury subside or heal. But as we age, those 'rest days' and recoveries after races are necessary ........if to continue in later years. That's what I tell myself to work against my stubborn desire to 'suck it up' .......... I use those in actual races. Listen to your body and keep those muscles limber by simple easy stretches, i.e. yoga, walks, hikes, etc.

girlintheorchard:

I don't care for the windy freezing temps either. I consider myself fortunate that I can experience two different climates, although I think it does take a toll on me which sometimes results in my not feeling well and body needing a rest to re-acclimate. My work travels keeps me discipline in my training runs but it's still a challenge in time management and keeping a base mileage to reach a goal of running my third marathon in Feb. or March, and again, in May or June.

I think my goal is pretty realistic .......... but it can be daunting sometimes, dealing with temperature changes and where I need to be.

My daughter had a false alarm Saturday night, but I am still in PHX just to be near. I would rather be at 7,000+ elevation for my training runs on the mountain trails but I am taking advantage of the desert mts with challenging inclines.

Ran 4 miles on mt trail which had a pretty good incline for almost a mile from the start, and rest was rocky/dirt/hilly terrain. WOW!! made it!! Last 2 miles got dark so I ran on paved road around the neighborhood, ugh!!! Worked on my speed, and my legs are feeling them now, a good hurt!!

Hello to all! Just enjoying the sheer fun of running - no race on my schedule. I'm trying some different things on my runs (running nonstop instead of regular intervals, or just running and walking as needed). I continue to see glimmers of speed at the shorter distances and that gives me a mental boost. Right now I feel as if I'm running so I can eat Christmas chocolates without too much guilt!! Whatever!

We finally have days with cooler temperatures in between warm, humid days. I cherish any day I can get out in a long sleeved shirt and ear coverings. I've learned to love sub 40 temperatures rather than fear them.

It's so much fun to read all of your posts about running, but I'm especially interested in all of the grandchildren! There are none for me yet, but there's a chance I will get to join your ranks in the next few years. I can't wait to spoil them rotten!

urun2me- Welcome! I hope you get to join the ranks of Grandparents too. The wife and I have 6 grandchildren and another on the way- they are a joy! Glad you enjoy running. Even if you choose not to race, the mental and physical benefits are wonderful.

Mary Kay~ hope you feel better soon and get back up to "speed"! This is a very busy and stressful time of the year if you let it be. Do what you can...but most of all do what YOU want to do!

Alot of good things going on in here and alot of new "masters". Welcome to all new runners.

To many post to go back through and play catch up. The last time I was in here I was running a HM in my home town and being the pacer for a group of newbie runners. Some of the runners this was there first race of any kind! Brave to have it be a HM!

It went fantastic and I loved every moment of running with them and helping them to finish their first HM and racing event ever! Everyone did a wonderful. Everyone stayed pretty well together until the last 2 miles when i had 3 runners to hit the wall. I would go back and encourage them to keep going and then I ran up to my group and took them on in to the last .15 miles and then I went back for the other 3. Finally after the last person was in...I finished the HM with a time of 2:44:09! Even though it was officially a HM, I ran more than 13.1 miles with all of the looping back. It was something that I will always remember and that I hope to do many more times in the future. Very fulfilling.

My other news....today is my 60th Birthday!!!!! And it is on 12-12-12!!!! How cool is that! Will not happen again until 3012! Of course, I probably will not be here by then! LOL

Happy Birthday Mimi!. Congrats on being the pacer for the HM and being that extra special mentor. Awesome!

MaryKay, you will do fantastic w/ your beginning group come January! They will love it too!

WDWRich sorry to hear of your groin strain. Hope it is really minor.

Dan, beautiful picture.

We had been blessed with unseasonably warm temp which I loved, but today, reality set in. While it was clear, it was quite chilly. I admire all of you who love the cold weather....me, I prefer warm, not hot, but warm. :-)

Debra, sounds like your indoor track is a very nice option when inclement weather sets in.

AZ, keep us posted as soon as the baby arrives....today 12-12-12 would be an ideal time to arrive. Your mountain runs inspire me.

My training for Goofy is still on track. I did miss Monday's short run, but didn't sweat it. This weekend is 12 mile hike one day and the next a 26 mile run. I pray DD & I survive. She has had to miss way too many of her runs, so we may have to alter the schedule. This is the last long run before Disney. I don't know if I'm more excited about Christmas or Disney.

Happy and safe holidays to all my mighty masters friends. We have been blessed through out this year with the gift of running and the friendships (albeit cyber variety) formed. Thanks to all of your for that wonderful present!

Thanks for the well wishes. I went out and tried a 5k maintainance run, and the muscle strain seems to have gone away. I guess a couple of days off made the difference. I'll shoot for a long run on Saturday and see how it goes.

Debra, love the sounds of your track! What a good alternative to a TM!!

Rich, groin pull? Ouch! take care!

Urun, so glad you're enjoying the sheer fun of running!! Wish I could just let go and do that. Don't forget the gingerbread, peppermint and pumpkin pie. They only come around once a year!

Mimi, you *get* me!! Everything is a balance of stress with me. I've crafted my life evidently on the edge of what is tolerable and any new demand seems to send it into overwhelming. I suppose this is a bad thing but I'm not convinced. Keep thinking it's like speed training, if you maintain this level long enough, it will feel normal and you'll be able to deal. Probably wishful thinking but for now, I don't see any responsibility I can get rid of. The fact that you were able to lead your runners in their first HM across the finish in under 3 hrs and then finish yourself in under 3 hours is awesome fantastic!!! What a great role model you are!! Happy 60th!! I personally love the way you define and wear it!!

Marie, I didn't realize your races were so soon. You will kill these!! You are absolutely ready!! Best of luck to you and your daughter!! I was shopping for jewelry online and found a pendant that was handstamped with "Goofy, 39.3" and thought of you. I'm sure Disney will have the bling covered.

I am still looking for runner girl or something like that earrings. I want to wear them when I run and don't want them bouncing around. Unfortunately, all I could find were dangling earrings. I guess others prefer to wear theirs after runs? Idk. Anyway, if you come across any that just have posts and not wires, let me know? It's actually almost warm enough for a run outside right now but am babying myself with a gym trot. Am still coughing a lot. Lousy cold!!

WED: ran 10.2 miles total, 1:58 ~ about 8.5 miles on mt trail which is pretty rocky with good inclines, and the last couple of miles on a nice GROOMED dirt tail along a canal (fenced) behind a neighborhood. From the start of the trail, it's a steady incline for almost a mile; passed two guys in their 30s, the second one was not happy I caught up with him and he had to stop to let me pass: priceless!! Not to sound snobbish, I was not going that fast. Anyway, it got dark by the time I was running the second time around the mountain to the top, so had to slow down to avoid getting hurt and got off the trail completely and ran the last couple of miles in the dark on the groomed trail.

Got a bit cooler, wind picked up and my shirt was wet from sweat and I felt chilled all of a sudden.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!

Ran home and tried to eat, felt nauseated so I just drank my chocolate soymilk, some ice water. After taking a shower, I felt sooo achy and stomach felt quesy, and I tried to drink some hot OJ/cider but I was shivering by then and gave in to some Advil and went to bed. I can't be getting sick ...... before a race?!?.......again??!? Miserable night!!

THURS: forced myself out of bed and accompanied my daughter on a few errands. Came home and took nap with granddaughter. I knew I was not feeling well if I had to take a nap!! Tried to eat but stomach too acidic, crampy and still quesy...........

Plan was to run at least 8 miles but no can do!

FRI: today, woke up still feeling quesy, tired from another restless night BUT felt a little better after an unexpected sudden throwup in the sink while brushing teeth ....... EEWWWW!!

So just decided to take it easy & rest for the 10 mile race on Sunday morning.

WDW: rest is beneficial after hard training runs finishing with some longer dynamic stretches and core workout for those groin muscles. I had to do that for my second marathon which absolutely was a lifesaver.